PDA workspace interface using application icons for downloading remote user file

• US 6,493,743 B2
• Filed: 09/02/1998
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prieto, Beatriz
• Application Number:
  US09/142,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20020007391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709/221, 709/224, 709/220, 709/222, 709/229, 345/706, 345/708, 345/735, 345/744, 345/747, 345/749, 345/763, 345/764, 345/765
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/144 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/172 Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1824 implemented using Network-attached Storage [NAS] architecture distributed or networked storage systems G06F3/067; protocols for distributed storage of data in a network H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

In the network terminal device (200), the computer main body (202) transmits a download request containing user identification data to the host device (300) via a network (100) at the time of starting the terminal device (200). In the host device (300), of various types of files corresponding to the user identification data, a designated file which is set by the user table in advance, is selected from the user management file which stores various types of files corresponding to each and individual user, in reply to the download request, and the designated file is transferred to the network terminal device (200) which made the request. The designated file is a recently used data file.

Claims

1. A network terminal for communicating with a host computer via a communication channel, comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of application files and a plurality of data files;

an initial setting unit configured to communicate with the host computer, download a display screen setting information and a menu of file names of data files and application files stored in the host computer, and to set a display mode based on the downloaded display screen setting information so as to make an operating environment of the terminal equal to an operating environment of the host computer;

a menu display configured to display the downloaded menu of file names under the set display mode;

a determination unit configured to determine whether the memory stores a file whose name is designated by a user on the displayed menu and whether the designated file is an application file or a data file;

a first download unit, if the designated file is an application file and is not stored in the memory, configured to download the designated file from the host computer, extract, based on the designated file, a plurality of data files which were recently used by the designated file and stored in the host computer, and download the extracted data files from the host computer;

a second download unit, if the designated file is a data file and is not stored in the memory, configured to download the designated data file from the host computer and, if an application file corresponding to the designated file is not stored in the memory, configured to download the application file corresponding to the designated file from the host computer; and

an upload unit configured to execute the designated application file or the application file corresponding to the designated data file, update a data file corresponding to the executed application file, and upload the updated data file to the host computer.

2. The network terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

an icon display configured to display an icon indicating an application file which has been downloaded in file names displayed in the menu.

3. A system including a host computer and a network terminal capable of communicating with the host computer via a communication channel, comprising:

a first memory configured to store an initial table of a file information indicating files to be downloaded from the host computer to the network terminal at an initial stage of operation of the network terminal;

a second memory configured to store a time zone table of a file information indicating files to be used in respective time zones;

an initial download unit configured to cause the network terminal to communicate with the host computer at the initial stage of operation of the network terminal and cause the host computer to read files designated by the initial table and to download the read files to the network terminal; and

a time zone download unit configured to cause the network terminal to communicate with the host computer at each of the time zones and cause the host computer to read files designated by the time zone table and to download the read files to the network terminal, the time zone download unit including an extraction unit, if the file indicated by the time zone table is an application file, configured to cause the host computer to extract, based on the application file, a plurality of data files which were recently used by the indicated application file, and to download the extracted data files to the network terminal.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said second memory stores unnecessary file information indicating unnecessary files for each time zone, and which further comprises a deletion unit configured to delete unnecessary files indicated by the unnecessary file information for each time zone.

5. An article of manufacture including a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to store a plurality of application files and a plurality of data files;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to communicate with a host computer, download a display screen setting information and a menu of file names of data files and application files stored in the host computer, and to set a display mode based on the downloaded display screen setting information so as to make an operating environment of the terminal equal to an operating environment of the host computer;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to display the downloaded menu of file names under the set display mode;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine whether or not the memory stores a file whose name is designated by a user on the displayed menu and whether the designated file is an application file or a data file;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer, if the designated file is an application file and is not stored in the memory, to download the designated file from the host computer, extract, based on the designated file, a plurality of data files which were recently used by the designated file and stored in the host computer, and download the extracted data files from the host computer;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer, if the designated file is a data file and is not stored in the memory, to download the designated data file from the host computer and, if an application file corresponding to the designated file is not stored in the memory, to download the application file corresponding to the designated file from the host computer; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to execute the designated application file or the application file corresponding to the designated data file, update a data file corresponding to the executed application file, and upload the updated data file to the host computer.

6. An article of manufacture including a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to store an initial table of file information indicating files to be downloaded from the host computer to the network terminal at an initial stage of operation of the network terminal;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to store a time zone table of a file information indicating files to be used in respective time zones;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer configured to cause the network terminal to communicate with the host computer at the initial stage of operation of the network terminal and to cause the host computer to read files designated by the initial table and to download the read files to the network terminal; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to cause the network terminal to communicate with the host computer at each of the time zones and to cause the host computer to read files designated by the time zone table and to download the read files to the network terminal, the time zone download unit including an extraction unit, if the file indicated by the time zone table is an application file, configured to cause the host computer to extract, based on the application file, a plurality of data files which were recently used by the indicated application file, and to download the extracted data files to the network terminal.